Multi-user retro reflector data input

ABSTRACT

The apparatus uses retro-reflected light, having a fixed component ( 41 ) and a variable component ( 37 ) varied by a person, from a retro reflector ( 31 ) connected to a person to input data ( 37 A) to an information system ( 13 ) and does this for each of several persons in the same time interval.

BACKGROUND

The invention uses retro-reflected light having a fixed component and avariable component varied by a person, from a retro reflector connectedto a person to input data to an information system and does this foreach of several persons in the same time interval.

Limits of data input via retro-reflected light—for example by Honey inU.S. Pat. No. 5,912,700 and by Stuart in U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,441—aresurmounted by the discovery shown here.

SUMMARY

Light retro-reflected by a retro reflector connected to a person has afixed component and a variable component and is detected by an imagerwhich inputs data to an information system.

Other forms and objects of the invention will be comprehended in thedrawings and description, which will make further equivalent forms andobjects obvious hereafter to persons skilled in the art.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows two users inputting data to an information system.

FIG. 2 shows light retro-reflected from a retro reflector in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows light retro-reflected from a sequent retro reflector inFIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a retro reflector on a card.

FIG. 5 shows a finger acting as a retro reflector and retro reflectorparts on a cylinder.

DESCRIPTION

The data input apparatus is used with an information system indicated bythe display device 13 in FIG. 1. The data input apparatus comprises animager indicated by a lens 11, a light source indicated by a ring light12, and a retro reflector indicated by a retro-reflecting disc 31 on ahand portion of a person.

Though the retro reflector is on the person in the example of FIG. 1,the retro reflector can be connected to the person in various ways suchas by being held by the person, by being on gear worn by the person, orby being on a device—such as an aircraft—transporting the person. Themeaning of “connected to a person” here is distinct from connection by asignal.

Throughout use for data input, the retro reflector remains connected tothe person. This is distinct from the case where retro-reflectingmaterial is attached to an object—such as a thrown ball—which movesindependently of the person.

Ideal retro-reflecting objects retro-reflect all incident light backcoaxially along the path of the incident light. Thus, an imager adjacentto the light source will detect retro-reflected light—which is lightfrom the light source retro-reflected by the retro reflector to theimager—with a high signal to noise ratio between the retro-reflectedlight and any other light detected by the imager. The signal to noiseratio becomes greater and smaller as retro-reflecting objects are moreand less ideal.

“Adjacent” here means that the retro-reflected light is within the fieldof view of the imager. A light beam from the source and theretro-reflected light beam incident on the imager can be made preciselycoaxial by using beam splitting devices, and this also is included inthe meaning of “adjacent” here.

“Detect” here means that the imager locates the retro reflected lightrelative to the imager field of view—for example, as exposing specificpixels of a charge coupled device.

The retro-reflected light has a fixed component indicated for example by41 in FIG. 2 which depicts retro-reflected light seen by the imager. Theretro-reflected light also has a variable component which is varied bythe person.

One example of the variable component is indicated by the path 37 alongwhich the person moves the retro reflector. Another example of thevariable component is indicated by a second retro reflector part 35being first positioned to be seen 45 by the imager and later beingpositioned to be not visible to the imager.

A multiplicity of distinct variations of the variablecomponent—comprising data—can be generated by the person varyingpositions of a retro reflector and varying configurations of more thanone retro reflector part. This meaning of a variable component isdistinct from the case where a person moves a bar-coded object so thatan imager can read the fixed bar code.

When, in a time interval, the imager detects the variable component, theimager inputs a signal to the information system.

In the example depicted in FIG. 1 a variable component corresponds tothe series of positions making up the path 37, and the signal comprisesdata identifying the series of positions along the path 37 in the timeinterval.

Also in the example depicted in FIG. 1 a variable component is a startconfiguration of the retro reflector 31 and the second retro reflectorpart 35 at the start of the path and is a stop configuration with thesecond retro reflector part obscured at the end of the path. The startconfiguration could be mapped by the imager as a start signal causingthe information system to start 51 a trace 37A corresponding to thepath, and the stop configuration could be mapped by the imager as a stopsignal causing the information system to stop 52 the trace correspondingto the path.

Start and stop signals to start the trace and to stop the trace couldalso be input by other means such as key strokes, mouse clicks, andspeech.

The information system need not visually display the trace, as the tracecould be data used or stored by the information system. The trace couldbe in three spatial dimensions, and in time, in data used or stored bythe information system. A second imager with light source, and more,could be used to help generate three dimensional data. Also, a wand-likeretro reflector with two distal points separated by a known distance canbe used to facilitate three dimensional data.

When, in the time interval, the imager detects the fixed component, 41for example, the imager inputs an identity signal to the informationsystem.

In the example depicted in FIG. 1 there is also a sequent retroreflector 61 connected to a sequent person, and there is sequentretro-reflected light with a sequent fixed component 71 depicted in FIG.3.

When, in the time interval, the imager detects the sequent fixedcomponent 71 the imager inputs a sequent identity signal to theinformation system. The fixed components 41 and 71 are distinct and thusthe sequent identity signal is distinct from the identity signal.

The sequent retro-reflected light also has a sequent variable componentvaried by the sequent person. One example of the sequent variablecomponent is indicated by the path 67 along which the sequent personmoves the sequent retro reflector 61. Another example of the sequentvariable component is indicated by a sequent second retro reflector part65 being first positioned to be seen 75 by the imager and later beingpositioned to be not visible to the imager.

When, in the time interval, the imager detects the sequent variablecomponent, the imager inputs a sequent signal to the information system.

In the example depicted in FIG. 1 a sequent variable componentcorresponds to a series of positions making up the sequent path 67, andthe sequent signal comprises data identifying the series of positionsalong the sequent path 67 in the time interval. The sequent signal cancause the information to trace a path 67A.

The retro reflector and the sequent retro reflector functioninterchangeably. The contents of the fixed component and the sequentfixed component are distinct. The contents of the variable component andthe sequent variable component are varied by distinct persons and can bedistinct.

An imager can distinguish retro-reflected light—45 and 41 forexample—retro-reflected by a person from retro-reflected light—75 and 71for example—retro-reflected by a sequent person because of the distinctfixed components and because distances between retro-reflected lightretro-reflected by one person—45 and 41 for example—are smaller thandistances between retro-reflected light retro-reflected light notretro-reflected from by one person—45 and 75 for example.

While 71 is shown to have bar code like configurations, otherproperties—such as shape and color—can also be used alone and incombinations to comprise fixed components.

In FIG. 1 the retro reflector is shown as a retro-reflecting discattached to finger tips. Retro-reflecting objects can be attached toeach of the fingers and to other portions of a hand such as knuckles andto other portions of the body. Various commercial retro reflectingmaterials—utilizing micro spheres and embossments for example—producevery high signal to noise ratios and can be put on hand portions invarious ways—such as with adhesive, with rings, and with thimble-likedevices.

A retro reflector on a card 87 which can be held by a person is depictedin FIG. 4. A variable component is produced when the personobscures—with fingers, for example—one or more of retro-reflecting parts81, 82, and 83. A fixed component comprises a set of retro-reflectingparts 85.

A retro reflector can be attached to a persons gear—head gear forexample—so that positions of the person can be imaged from above toidentify the person and trace the positions. An information system canattach an identifying label to a displayed image of the person. Whenmany persons are so imaged, only selected traces can be displayed andcan be color coded. Paths of players in a sporting event can be traced.

A retro reflector can be attached to a first aircraft transporting aperson so that a light source and imager on a second aircraft can detectthe presence and motion of the first aircraft.

In as much as a finger tip reflects light from the light source back tothe imager with a signal to noise ratio greater than one, the fingertip—31A depicted in FIG. 5 for example—can be used in place of the retroreflector 31 though a poor signal to noise ratio will burden the imager.While finger tip properties—such as color—can provide the fixedcomponent, this would further burden an imager. A fixed component—suchas the retro-reflecting stripes 85A around a cylinder shown in FIG.5—burdens the imager less.

The signal to noise ratio provided by a retro reflector can beincreased. For example, a retro reflector can reflect a firstelectromagnetic radiation spectrum portion greater than otherelectromagnetic radiation spectrum portions, and the imager can be moresensitive to the first electromagnetic radiation spectrum portion thanto other electromagnetic radiation spectrum portions.

Also, the light source can be modulated at a first frequency and theimager can be more sensitive to light modulated at the first frequencythan to light modulated at other frequencies. With a modulated lightsource the distance between a retro reflector and the imager can bedetermined by time of flight measurement.

A scanner can be added. The scanner can be an imager scanner scanningthe imager over a light source illuminated; can be a light scannerscanning the light source over an imager viewed solid angle; and can bea combined scanner scanning the imager and the light source togetherover a solid angle. Combinations of all the several signal to noiseratio improvement methods can be used.

Information processing capacity needed to detect the retro reflectorsand generate inputted data can be incorporated in the imager itself sothat the imager can input data to the information system in formssimilar to forms provided by keystrokes and mouse devices. Informationprocessing capacity of the information system can be used to detectretro reflectors and generate inputted data, in which case theinformation system is part of the imager while it is helping generateinput data.

Variations of the variable component—such as range and speed of motionand relative configurations and motions of retro reflector parts—can bedefined to execute members of a roster of signal components similarly todefining keystroke combinations.

The apparatus can be utilized interactively. For example, in response toa query communicated by the information system, a plurality of personscan input responses. Also, for each of a plurality of persons navigatinga territory, the information system can communicate to each of thepersons a person specific path from the location of each of the personsto a part of the territory sought by each of the persons.

The data processor can locate the retro reflector relative to a targetobject. The target object position can be determined by another retroreflector data input apparatus. The target object could be a game animaland this would enable realistic bloodless hunting. The target objectcould be another person and this would enable bloodless combat trainingand sport.

Other equivalent forms for the imager, the light source, the retroreflector, the fixed component, the variable component, the identitysignal, and the signal; and other equivalent ways of using a retroreflector to input data to an information system will be obvioushereafter to persons skilled in the art. Therefore this invention is notlimited to the particular examples shown and described here.

1. Data input apparatus used with an information system, the data inputapparatus comprising: an imager; a light source adjacent to the imager;a retro reflector, the retro reflector being connected to a person;retro-reflected light, the retro reflected light being light from thelight source which is retro-reflected by the retro reflector to theimager, the retro-reflected light having a fixed component, and theretro-reflected light having a variable component varied by the person,the variable component of the retro-reflected light caused by changingbetween obscuring and unobscuring at least a portion of theretro-reflector from within a field of view of the imager; an identitysignal, the identity signal being input to the information system by theimager when the fixed component is detected by the imager in a timeinterval; and a signal, the signal being input to the information systemby the imager when the variable component is detected by the imager inthe time interval.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: asequent retro reflector, the sequent retro reflector being connected toa sequent person; sequent retro-reflected light, the sequent retroreflected light being light from the light source which isretro-reflected by the sequent retro reflector to the imager, thesequent retro-reflected light having a sequent fixed component, and thesequent retro-reflected light having a sequent variable component variedby the sequent person, the sequent variable component of the sequentretro-reflected light caused by changing between obscuring andunobscuring at least a portion of the sequent retro-reflector fromwithin a field of view of the imager; a sequent identity signal, thesequent identity signal being input to the information system by theimager when the sequent fixed component is detected by the imager in thetime interval; a sequent signal, the sequent signal being input to theinformation system by the imager when the sequent variable component isdetected by the imager in the time interval.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2wherein the sequent retro reflector is connected to the sequent person.4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the sequent fixed component isdistinct from the fixed component and the sequent identity signal isdistinct from the identity signal, thereby allowing the imager todistinguish light retro-reflected by the sequent retro reflector fromlight retro-reflected by the retro reflector.
 5. The apparatus of claim1 wherein the retro reflector reflects a first electromagnetic radiationspectrum portion greater than other electromagnetic spectrum portionsand the imager is more sensitive to the first electromagnetic radiationspectrum portion than to the other electromagnetic radiation spectrumportions.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light source ismodulated at a first frequency and the imager is more sensitive to lightmodulated at the first frequency than to light modulated at otherfrequencies.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the retro reflector ison a hand portion of the person.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein theretro reflector is on an object held by the person.
 9. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein the retro reflector is on gear worn by the person. 10.The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second retro reflectorbeing connected to the person and wherein obscuring at least a portionof the retro-reflector from within a field of view of the imagercomprises the second retro reflector being changed between beingpositioned to be seen or invisible to the imager.
 11. The apparatus ofclaim 1 further comprising an information processor, wherein theinformation processor processes variations of the variable component ofthe retro-reflected light that are defined to execute members of aroster of signal components.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1 furthercomprising a display device adjacent the retro-reflector and visible tothe person, the display device adapted to display information related tothe variable component.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12 further whereinthe person can use the data input apparatus interactively by viewinginformation displayed on the display device and varying the variablecomponent of the retro-reflected light.
 14. The apparatus of claim 1wherein the obscuring and unobscuring at least a portion of theretro-reflector from within a field of view of the imager comprises astart and stop configuration.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein thestart configuration starts the signal being input to the informationsystem by the imager when the variable component is detected by theimager in the time interval and the stop configuration stops the signalbeing input to the information system by the imager when the variablecomponent is detected by the imager in the time interval.
 16. Theapparatus of claim 15 wherein the signal comprises data identifying theseries of positions the retro-reflector along a path in the timeinterval.
 17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the start configurationstarts the signal being input to the information system by the imagerwhen the imager does of one the following: (a) detects the at least aportion of the retro-reflector is un-obscured; or (b) detects the atleast a portion of the retro-reflector is obscured.
 18. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein obscuring and un-obscuring at least a portion of theretro-reflector when the reflector is within a field of view of theimager comprises positioning at least a portion of the retro-reflectorto be seen or invisible to the imager.
 19. Data input apparatus usedwith an information system, the data input apparatus comprising: animager; a scanner chosen from the group consisting of: an imager scannerscanning the imager over a light source illuminated solid angle; a lightscanner scanning the light source over an imager viewed solid angle; anda combined scanner scanning the imager and the light source togetherover a solid angle; a light source adjacent to the imager; a retroreflector, the retro reflector being connected to a person;retro-reflected light, the retro reflected light being light from thelight source which is retro-reflected by the retro reflector to theimager, the retro-reflected light having a fixed component, and theretro-reflected light having a variable component varied by the person;an identity signal, the identity signal being input to the informationsystem by the imager when the fixed component is detected by the imagerin a time interval; a signal, the signal being input to the informationsystem by the imager when the variable component is detected by thescanner in the time interval.
 20. Data input apparatus used with aninformation system, the data input apparatus comprising: a retroreflector, the retro reflector on a vehicle transporting the person;retro-reflected light, the retro reflected light being light from thelight source which is retro-reflected by the retro reflector to theimager, the retro-reflected light having a fixed component, and theretro-reflected light having a variable component varied by the person;an identity signal, the identity signal being input to the informationsystem by the imager when the fixed component is detected by the imagerin a time interval; and a signal, the signal being input to theinformation system by the imager when the variable component is detectedby the imager in the time interval.